Prognostic value of programmed death.1, programmed death-ligand 1, programmed death-ligand 2 expression, and CD8(+) T cell density in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1.4N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma

Background: Anti-programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy has been proved to be effective on gastric cancer in ongoing clinical trials. However, the value of PD-L1 in predicting responses of patients with gastric cancer to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy is controversial. Some studies suggested that intra-and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression might explain the controversy.This study aimed to analyze the expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, and PD-1 as well as CD8(+) T-cell density in primary tumors and lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma to explore the heterogeneity of PD-1 signaling pathway molecules.Methods: In primary tumors and metastatic as well as non-metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, we detected PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression with immunohistochemistry. CD8(+)T-cell density in primary tumors and PD-1 expression on CD8(+)T cells were detected with immunofluorescence. Univariate analysis was used to determine the prognostic values of them. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify independent risk factors that affect patients' overall survival and disease-free survival.Results: Among 119 eligible patients who had undergone surgical resection, the positive rate of PD-L1 was higher in metastatic lymph nodes than in primary tumors(45.4% vs. 38.7%, P = 0.005); the positive rate of PD-1 on CD8(+)T cells was significantly higher in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes than in tumor-free lymph nodes(both P < 0.001). The intensity of PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes were stronger than that in tumor-free lymph nodes from the same patient. Beside, the positive rate of PD-L2 did not show any differences between primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes. In multivariate analysis, PD-L1 expression,PD-L2 expression, a low density of CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors, and PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors were associated with poor prognosis.Conclusion: The expression of PD-L1 is heterogeneous in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stageT1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, which might explain the inconsistent results in assessing the prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in previous studies.

Up-regulation of hnRNP A1, Ezrin, tubulin β-2C and Annexin A1 in sentinel lymph nodes of colorectal cancer

AIM: To investigate the early metastasis-associated proteins in sentinel lymph node micrometastasis (SLNMM) of colorectal cancer (CRC) through comparative proteome. METHODS: Hydrophobic protein samples were extracted from individual-matched normal lymph nodes (NLN) and SLNMM of CRC. Differentially expressed protein spots were detected by two-dimensional electrophoresis and image analysis, and subsequently identified by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry and Western blotting, respectively.RESULTS: Forty proteins were differentially expressed in NLN and SLNMM, and 4 metastasis-concerned proteins highly expressed in SLNMM were identified to be hnRNP A1, Ezrin, tubulin β-2C and Annexin A1. Further immunohistochemistry staining of these four proteins showed their clinicopathological characteristics in lymph node metastasis of CRC. CONCLUSION: Variations of hydrophobic protein expression in NLN and SLNMM of CRC and increased expression of hnRNP A1, Ezrin, tubulin β-2C and Annexin A1 in SLNMM suggest a significantly elevated early CRC metastasis.

A new prognostic histopathologic classification of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background:The current World Health Organization(WHO) classification of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) con?veys little prognostic information.This study aimed to propose an NPC histopathologic classification that can poten?tially be used to predict prognosis and treatment response.Methods:We initially developed a histopathologic classification based on the morphologic traits and cell differentia?tion of tumors of 2716 NPC patients who were identified at Sun Yat?sen University Cancer Center(SYSUCC)(training cohort).Then,the proposed classification was applied to 1702 patients(retrospective validation cohort) from hospitals outside SYSUCC and 1613 patients(prospective validation cohort) from SYSUCC.The efficacy of radiochemotherapy and radiotherapy modalities was compared between the proposed subtypes.We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios(HRs) with 95% confidence intervals(CI) for overall survival(OS).Results:The 5?year OS rates for all NPC patients who were diagnosed with epithelial carcinoma(EC;3708 patients),mixed sarcomatoid?epithelial carcinoma(MSEC;1247 patients),sarcomatoid carcinoma(SC;823 patients),and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC;253 patients) were 79.4%,70.5%,59.6%,and 42.6%,respectively(P < 0.001).In mul?tivariate models,patients with MSEC had a shorter OS than patients with EC(HR = 1.44,95% CI = 1.27–1.62),SC(HR = 2.00,95% CI = 1.76–2.28),or SCC(HR = 4.23,95% CI = 3.34–5.38).Radiochemotherapy significantly improved survival compared with radiotherapy alone for patients with EC(HR 49–0.75),and possibly for those with SCC(HR = 0.67,95% CI = 0.56–0.80),MSEC(HR = 0.58,95% CI = 0..74–1.28).= 0.63;95% CI = 0.40–0.98),but not for patients with SC(HR = 0.97,95% CI = 0Conclusions:The proposed classification offers more information for the prediction of NPC prognosis compared with the WHO classification and might be a valuable tool to guide treatment decisions for subtypes that are associ?ated with a poor prognosis.

Long noncoding RNAs in gastric cancer: From molecular dissection to clinical application

Long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)are important regulators of cell processes that are usually dysregulated in gastric cancer(GC).Based on their high specificity and ease of detection in tissues and body fluids,increasing attention has spurred the study of the roles of lncRNAs in GC patients.Thus,it is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and further explore the clinical applications of lncRNAs in GC.In this review,we summarize current knowledge to examine dysregulated lncRNAs in GC and their underlying molecular mechanisms and activities in GC,which involve microRNA sponging,mRNA stability,genetic variants,alternative splicing,transcription factor binding,and epigenetic modification.More significantly,the potential of lncRNAs as prognostic,circulating,and drug-resistant biomarkers for GC is also described.This review highlights the method of dissecting molecular mechanisms to explore the clinical application of lncRNAs in GC.Overall,this review offers assistance in using lncRNAs as novel candidates for molecular mechanisms and for the identification of revolutionary biomarkers for GC.

Macrophage-specific inhibition of the histone demethylase JMJD3 decreases STING and pathologic inflammation in diabetic wound repair

Macrophage plasticity is critical for normal tissue repair following injury.In pathologic states such as diabetes,macrophage plasticity is impaired,and macrophages remain in a persistent proinflammatory state;however,the reasons for this are unknown.Here,using single-cell RNA sequencing of human diabetic wounds,we identified increased JMJD3 in diabetic wound macrophages,resulting in increased inflammatory gene expression.Mechanistically,we report that in wound healing,JMJD3 directs early macrophage-mediated inflammation via JAK1,3/STAT3 signaling.However,in the diabetic state,we found that IL-6,a cytokine increased in diabetic wound tissue at later time points post-injury,regulates JMJD3 expression in diabetic wound macrophages via the JAK1,3/STAT3 pathway and that this late increase in JMJD3 induces NFκB-mediated inflammatory gene transcription in wound macrophages via an H3K27me3 mechanism.Interestingly,RNA sequencing of wound macrophages isolated from mice with JMJD3-deficient myeloid cells(Jmjd3f/fLyz2Cre+)identified that the STING gene(Tmem173)is regulated by JMJD3 in wound macrophages.STING limits inflammatory cytokine production by wound macrophages during healing.However,in diabetic mice,its role changes to limit wound repair and enhance inflammation.This finding is important since STING is associated with chronic inflammation,and we found STING to be elevated in human and murine diabetic wound macrophages at late time points.Finally,we demonstrate that macrophage-specific,nanoparticle inhibition of JMJD3 in diabetic wounds significantly improves diabetic wound repair by decreasing inflammatory cytokines and STING.Taken together,this work highlights the central role of JMJD3 in tissue repair and identifies cell-specific targeting as a viable therapeutic strategy for nonhealing diabetic wounds.

Genome-wide 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Profiling Analysis Identifies MAP7D1 as A Novel Regulator of Lymph Node Metastasis in Breast Cancer

Although DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine(5 hmC)is recognized as an important epigenetic mark in cancer,its precise role in lymph node metastasis remains elusive.In this study,we investigated how 5 hmC associates with lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.Accompanying with high expression of TET1 and TET2 proteins,large numbers of genes in the metastasis-positive primary tumors exhibit higher 5 hmC levels than those in the metastasis-negative primary tumors.In contrast,the TET protein expression and DNA 5 hmC decrease significantly within the metastatic lesions in the lymph nodes compared to those in their matched primary tumors.Through genomewide analysis of 8 sets of primary tumors,we identified 100 high-confidence metastasis-associated5 hmC signatures,and it is found that increased levels of DNA 5 hmC and gene expression of MAP7 D1 associate with high risk of lymph node metastasis.Furthermore,we demonstrate that MAP7 D1,regulated by TET1,promotes tumor growth and metastasis.In conclusion,the dynamic5 hmC profiles during lymph node metastasis suggest a link between DNA 5 hmC and lymph node metastasis.Meanwhile,the role of MAP7 D1 in breast cancer progression suggests that the metastasis-associated 5 hmC signatures are potential biomarkers to predict the risk for lymph node metastasis,which may serve as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for metastatic breast cancer.

Enriched gestation activates the IGF pathway to evoke embryo-adult benefits to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

Background:Building brain reserves before dementia onset could represent a promising strategy to prevent Alzheimer’s disease(AD),while how to initiate early cognitive stimulation is unclear.Given that the immature brain is more sensitive to environmental stimuli and that brain dynamics decrease with ageing,we reasoned that it would be effective to initiate cognitive stimulation against AD as early as the fetal period.Methods:After conception,maternal AD transgenic mice(3×Tg AD)were exposed to gestational environment enrichment(GEE)until the day of delivery.The cognitive capacity of the offspring was assessed by the Morris water maze and contextual fear-conditioning tests when the offspring were raised in a standard environment to 7 months of age.Western blotting,immunohistochemistry,real-time PCR,immunoprecipitation,chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP)assay,electrophysiology,Golgi staining,activity assays and sandwich ELISA were employed to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of GEE on embryos and 7–10-month-old adult offspring.Results:We found that GEE markedly preserved synaptic plasticity and memory capacity with amelioration of hallmark pathologies in 7–10-m-old AD offspring.The beneficial effects of GEE were accompanied by global histone hyperacetylation,including those at bdnf promoter-binding regions,with robust BDNF mRNA and protein expression in both embryo and progeny hippocampus.GEE increased insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF1)and activated its receptor(IGF1R),which phosphorylates Ca^(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase IV(CaMKIV)at tyrosine sites and triggers its nuclear translocation,subsequently upregulating histone acetyltransferase(HAT)and BDNF transcription.The upregulation of IGF1 mimicked the effects of GEE,while IGF1R or HAT inhibition during pregnancy abolished the GEE-induced CaMKIV-dependent histone hyperacetylation and BDNF upregulation.Conclusions:These findings suggest that activation of IGF1R/CaMKIV/HAT/BDNF signaling by gestational environment enrichment may serve as a promising strategy to delay AD progression.